1. Technical Field
This invention generally relates to an anti-theft system for uncoupling an automobile""s throttle system from its accelerator system using a remote switching device while maintaining a normal feel to the accelerator pedal.
2. Background of the Invention
In the late 1990""s an automobile was stolen every 25 seconds in the United States, contributing to a $7.5 billion auto theft business and growing according to the Insurance Information Institute. Anti-theft devices include car alarms, large locks such as xe2x80x9cThe Club(copyright),xe2x80x9d GPS tracking devices which keep track of the location of a car, and immobilizing devices that prevent a car from starting for an unauthorized driver.
However, car theft continues to be a significant problem because of the many shortcomings of these conventional anti-theft devices. For example, the sound of car alarms, especially in urban areas, rarely captures the attention of passers-by any more. In addition, padlocks or other small locks on the accelerator, brake or clutch pedals may be easily overcome by pushing hard against the pedals and snapping the locks. Furthermore, large locks may be easily defeated by thieves who carry equally large cutters. Moreover, large automobile locks applied to the steering wheel, brake, clutch, or accelerator may be unwieldy to apply, remove and store. Additionally, although GPS tracking devices may provide round-the-clock monitoring of a vehicle""s location, such monitoring may mean a high monthly bill. Besides, some owners are wary of allowing an unknown entity to know the whereabouts of their vehicle round-the-clock. Overall, thieves know that these conventional anti-theft devices may be disconnected, and many of these devices must be disabled or removed by the driver before the car starts moving, leaving the driver defenseless against a carjacker who enters the automobile while it is in operation.
Therefore, there exists a need to provide an effective automobile anti-theft device that is not easily overcome by a thief with big cutters, is effective against carjackers, may be operated with a remote communication system, and retains the feel of a normal operable accelerator pedal even while the device is engaged.
According to embodiments of the present invention, this invention provides an anti-theft device which reversibly disengages the accelerator system from the throttle system of an automobile. A locking pin is selectively extendable into an aperture in the anti-theft device such that when the locking pin is extended into the aperture, the accelerator system is prevented from actuating the throttle system to cause the engine to rev above idle, and when the locking shaft is not extended into the aperture the accelerator system performs normally.
Embodiments of the present invention may include the following features alone or in combination. The system is easily installed at the factory or after-market because it replaces the factory bushing and accelerator-throttle linkage or the accelerator-drive-by-wire sensor linkage found affixed to the floor of the passenger compartment adjacent the accelerator pedal of many automobiles. The invention is difficult to remove because the working parts are contained in a tamper-resistant box which is affixed to the floor of the passenger compartment by fasteners which are inserted from the engine side of the firewall. To remove the invention from a parked car, a thief would have to spend time underneath the automobile. Because the invention constitutes the linkage between the accelerator system and the throttle system, even if a thief managed to remove the protective tamper-resistant box, cutting through the working parts of the invention would disconnect the accelerator system from the throttle system, rendering the automobile immobile. In addition, the locking device may be engaged and disengaged using a dashboard switch, a remote switching device or integrated paging systems. The invention may be activated even while the automobile is in motion and the accelerator pedal is pressed. When activated while the automobile is in motion, the locking device will not operate to disengage the accelerator system from the throttle system until the driver takes her foot off of the accelerator pedal, to engage the brake, for example. Then, the lock may snap into place so that the driver may not accelerate again. The accelerator pedal may also retain some xe2x80x9cgivexe2x80x9d even when the device is engaged and locked.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following more particular description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.